Concerns of growing carbon footprint of urban groundwater extraction in India: a case study of Faridabad, Haryana

• Increasing urban groundwater extraction, making cities a potential carbon emitter. • Half of the world’s population will soon become urban and need groundwater as a major source of water. • Intensive groundwater extraction from depleting depths requires significantly more energy. • A case study from Faridabad, a tier II city of India, shows 40m of groundwater depletion in the last 4 decades. • Current CE is estimated to be 8 times higher than that of 1982, recommending immediate policy intervention. With rapid global urbanization and rising water demand, the carbon footprint and impact of energy consumption in groundwater extraction are expected to increase, exacerbating the global warming situation. Within such a context, this case study, through its varied perspective, highlights the importance of a rise in pump efficiency, backed up by efficient demand management and policy measures as one of the foremost measures to address the environmental sustainability indicators, groundwater level depletion that can be impacted by growing water and energy demanding sectors like domestic, industrial and irrigation. With rapid urbanization, the cities have emerged as a point of intense groundwater abstraction and in the changing climatic scenario become a significant environmental influencer that needs attention of planners and police makers Groundwater level depletion over the last 40 years has contributed to approximately 40% of electricity consumption due to groundwater extraction and has increased annual carbon emissions by 8.5 times in Faridabad City, India. The case study highlights the necessity for integrated, futuristic energy, economic, and water policy planning, as well as its execution at the city level, through a proactive new vision and the role of municipal bodies in cities like Faridabad globally. It also calls for a new approach to city-level municipal governance structures to understand the triangular connection between energy consumption, water demand, and the city of Faridabad’s carbon footprint through more robust, integrated city-level master plans. These plans recognize the need for integrated water, energy, and economic policies for the cities like Faridabad.